Freedom Park Gets Major Makeover

Freedom Park, located at North Mojave Road and Washington Avenue, is undergoing two simultaneous improvement projects.

The Big League Dreams project will include the construction of six lighted replica ball fields. At the same time, park improvements will get underway that include the renovation of the two little league ball fields, a building for concessions and restrooms, and two new soccer fields. A perimeter fence, exercise area, walk and jogging path, a skate park, events platform and an adaptive recreation area will be constructed along with shade structures, security lighting and parking.

Most of the park’s 68 acres closed last week to make way for the improvements. The park’s little league ball fields will remain open for seasonal play through October. Although the Carlos L. Martinez and Darrio J. Hall Family Pool’s summer season ended last week, the pool will reopen in February for swim team use and to community use in late May.

“Freedom Park opened in 1972 and has served our growing community for all these years,” said Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese, who represents Ward 3. “It is exciting to be able to bring a new look to Freedom Park and these improvements do just that.”

The two projects, totaling $48 million, will take approximately 14 months to complete. Funding is provided by the city of Las Vegas and the Bureau of Land Management through the sale of public lands as authorized by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act.

Roche Constructors, Inc. is the contractor. City of Las Vegas Public Works Department staff is managing the construction project. The Leisure Services Department will be responsible for programming activities and events when the improvements are completed.

Part of Grand Central Parkway To Close During The Overnight Hours as ACE Downtown Connector Construction Continues

Grand Central Parkway, between the Interstate 15 northbound entrance ramp and Bonneville Avenue, will be closing during the overnight hours of 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The project is estimated to take as long as three weeks and the temporary road closures could start as soon as Sunday night, Sept. 14.

Grand Central Parkway will reopen by 5 a.m. each day. Traffic is narrowed to one travel lane in each direction on Grand Central Parkway between Charleston Boulevard and City Parkway. While work is underway, Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard are suggested as alternate routes for through north-south travel.

The traffic disruptions are necessary as part of continuing work on the ACE rapid transit system project, ACE Downtown Connector. The entire project on Grand Central Parkway is slated for completion in November 2008.

The city of Las Vegas is partnering with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) to construct the rapid transit system. Dedicated rapid transit lanes will be built in the center of Grand Central Parkway and transit station platform boarding areas will also be constructed. The ACE Downtown Connector rapid transit project on Grand Central Parkway is the first phase in an overall project to eventually provide high-speed transit connections throughout Southern Nevada.     

ACE Downtown Connector work is also underway along Casino Center Boulevard from Ogden Avenue, extending south to Charleston. As work progresses, construction will also take place on Third Street, south of Charleston continuing to Imperial Avenue, and along sections of Main, Las Vegas Boulevard, St. Louis Avenue and Paradise Road to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Funding for both state-of-the-art projects is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration, the RTC and the city of Las Vegas.

The RTC is the transit authority, the transportation planning agency and the regional traffic management agency for Southern Nevada. The RTC's vision is to provide a safe, convenient and effective regional transportation system that enhances mobility and air quality for citizens and visitors. The RTC encourages residents and visitors to use alternate commute modes to help reduce traffic congestion, clean the air and improve the quality of life in Southern Nevada.

Traffic Lane Restrictions Planned For

Starting at approximately 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 and continuing until 5 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, traffic will be reduced to one travel lane in each direction through the intersection of Decatur and Lake Mead boulevards. The traffic disruptions during the overnight hours are necessary as crews continue sewer line installation work in the area.

A $2.9 million sanitary sewer rehabilitation project is underway by the city of Las Vegas. Work on the improvements started in June and will take approximately seven months to complete. Work is currently taking place on Coran Lane between Decatur Boulevard and Rancho Drive. The project also includes work on Rancho Drive between Vegas Drive and Coran, and on Vegas Drive between Rancho and Michael Way.

Insituform Technologies is the project contractor. The city of Las Vegas is funding the improvements. The entire project is slated for completion in early 2009.

Traffic Lane Restrictions On Casino Center Boulevard Start Tomorrow

Some Casino Center Parking To Be Permanently Eliminated

Starting at approximately 7 a.m., Thursday, August 21, and continuing until further notice, traffic lane restrictions will be in effect on Casino Center Boulevard, between Bridger Avenue and Bonneville Avenue. This section of Casino Center Boulevard will be completely closed to southbound travel and will be open to one lane of northbound travel only.

While work is underway, Main Street, First Street and Las Vegas Boulevard are suggested as alternate routes for north and south travel. Access to the Clark County parking structure on Casino Center Boulevard south of Bridger Avenue will be maintained by way of First Street.

In addition to these temporary traffic lane restrictions and closures, parking will be permanently eliminated along Casino Center Boulevard between Bridger Avenue and Bonneville Avenue.

These traffic flow changes are necessary as part of continuing work on the ACE rapid transit system project, ACE Downtown Connector. Work started in July and the entire project will take approximately 13 months to complete.

The city of Las Vegas is partnering with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) to construct the rapid transit system. The project includes improvements at Ogden Avenue proceeding south along Casino Center Boulevard to Charleston Boulevard. As work progresses, construction will also take place on Third Street, south of Charleston Boulevard continuing to Imperial Avenue, and along sections of Main Street, Las Vegas Boulevard, St. Louis Avenue and Paradise Road to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Dedicated rapid transit lanes will be built in the center of Casino Center Boulevard and Third Street, to seamlessly link downtown Las Vegas to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Transit station platform boarding areas will also be constructed.

Funding for the state-of-the-art project is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration, the RTC and the city of Las Vegas.

The RTC is the transit authority, the transportation planning agency and the regional traffic management agency for Southern Nevada. The RTC’s vision is to provide a safe, convenient and effective regional transportation system that enhances mobility and air quality for citizens and visitors. The RTC encourages residents and visitors to use alternate commute modes to help reduce traffic congestion, clean the air and improve the quality of life in Southern Nevada.

Bonneville Avenue Weekend Traffic Lane Restrictions Planned

Traffic lane restrictions will be in effect on Bonneville Avenue this weekend, as work on the Union Park Infrastructure Improvement Project continues.

Starting at approximately 9 p.m., Friday, August 15, and continuing through 9 p.m., Sunday, August 17, Bonneville Avenue between Grand Central Parkway and Main Street will narrow to one travel lane in each direction for sewer line installation work. As traffic delays can be expected, Charleston Boulevard is suggested as an alternate route for east-west travel. Bonneville should reopen to full access late Sunday night.

Work on phase one infrastructure for Union Park, the 11-million-square-foot, mixed-use urban development in downtown Las Vegas, started in April. The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Works is overseeing the installation of $7.8 million in infrastructure improvements, including site grading and roadway excavation; drainage features and structures; parking lot, access roads and public streets; curbs and gutters; sewer, water mains and fire hydrants; utilities; traffic signs, signals and street markings. Development is taking place on the southern portion of Union Park between North Discovery and Bonneville Avenue.

Completion is scheduled by year-end.

City Official To Break Ground On New Stupak Community Center

Existing Facility is Exceeding Capacity

Work to build the new, 34,000-square-foot Stupak Community Center is starting soon. Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese, who represents this area in Ward 3, plans to celebrate the start of the project with a groundbreaking ceremony at 3 p.m., Monday, August 18.

The new $7.5 million community center will be built on the site of the existing Chester A. Stupak Park that is located across from the current Stupak Community Center at 300 West Boston Avenue. The park closed last week.

The project includes demolition of the park to make way for the new 34,183-square-foot community center. The two-story building will feature an indoor multi-sport gym, classrooms, a kitchen, library, arts classroom, weight fitness and aerobics rooms, and a game room.

Construction begins this week and will take place Monday through Friday during daytime hours. The project will take approximately 14 months to complete.

In August 2007, the Las Vegas City Council unanimously awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to construct the new community center. Capacity has long been exceeded at the existing 8,190-square-foot center that offers English as a Learning Language (ELL) classes, before and after school activities, back-to-school events, youth and adult programs, and a meeting place for the Gateway District Neighborhood Association and Stupak Youth Council. The old center will stay open during construction to minimize disruption of services to the community.

“The Stupak Center is now and always will be, an integral part of the Meadows Village community. Neighbors rely on the Stupak Center as a social gathering place and a center for learning,” Councilman Reese said. “Hundreds of students participate in the ELL and citizenship classes at this facility that we’ve clearly outgrown, and I look forward to the opening of our new, bigger and better community center.”

Meadows Village is located behind the Stratosphere Hotel/Casino. The neighborhood includes a high percentage of households that qualify as low-income.

Richardson Construction is the contractor for the project. The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Works is providing project oversight. The Department of Neighborhood Services secured and will administer the federal funds for construction of the center. The Department of Leisure Services will program activities and events when the new Stupak Community Center is completed.

Who:                      Mayor Pro Tem Reese and other officials

What:                     Celebrate the start of the Stupak Community Center Project

When:                    3 p.m., Monday, August 18, 2008

Where:                     Boston Avenue, east of Tam Drive

Editor’s note:            Limited on street parking is available on Boston Avenue

Park Project in Centennial Hills Starts Monday

Construction on a 14-acre park site located in the area bounded by Durango Drive,

El Capitan Way, Riley Street and Bright Angel Way, is scheduled to start Monday, August 4.

The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Works plans to begin work on phase one of park improvements to Durango-Riley Park. The project includes construction of two lighted combination lacrosse and soccer artificial turf sports fields, lighted pedestrian walks, lighted and paved driveways and parking lot, and restroom facilities.   

Work will take place Monday through Friday during daytime hours. The project will take approximately six months to complete.

Most work will take place away from the roadways, however there may be some temporary traffic lane restrictions on Durango Drive between Centennial Parkway and Tropical Parkway.

Wiser Construction is the project contractor. The city of Las Vegas Department of Public Works is providing project oversight. The Leisure Services Department will be responsible for programming activities and events when the new park is completed. Funding for this $5.4 million improvement project is provided by Residential Construction Tax.